24 July 2023

AM: This morning the remaining plaster and tile fall of Locus 4 along the western baulk was removed. The removal of the remains of Locus 4 made it clear that there is a semi circular depression in the SW corner sloping down to the southwest. It measures c. 1m on each side. After this area was cleared, Locus 4 was closed and closing photos were taken (Photo-2023-T103-Locus04-023 and 024).

Locus 4 Closing Elevations: NW: 177E/64S 26.70m AE NE: 182E/64S 26.51m AE SE: 182E/65.04S 26.69m AE SW: 177E/66S 26.45m AE

Locus 5 was opened as the dark brown-black carbon included layer uncovered below Locus 4. It measured 5m in length along the north baulk and narrowed from 2m in width at the west baulk to 1.04m at the east baulk. It slopes down to the southwest with the slope increasing closer to the southwest corner dramatically.

Munsell: 2.5y 3/1 very dark gray

Locus 5 opening photos were taken: Photo-2023-T103-Locus05-025 and 026

Locus 5 Opening Elevations: NW: 177E/64S 26.70m AE NE: 182E/64S 26.51m AE SE: 182E/65.04S 26.69m AE SW: 177E/66S 26.45m AE

Excavation in Locus 5 began in the west. The eastern square 1m was hand picked and scraped. The soil was dark gray and fairly sun-baked. There were frequent inclusions of small-stones, pottery, and bone, A little plaster and vitrified material was also present. An olive seed was recovered and recorded as special find 78.

S.F. 78 181.24E/64.42S 26.54m AE Locus 5 Olive seed

A storage vessel body sherd with adhered organic material was recovered and recorded as special find 79.

S.F. 79 181.47E/64.31S 26.56m AE Locus 5 Storage vessel fragment with adhered organic material

After scraping c. 5cm in Locus 5, an olive brown clay soil with medium stone inclusions began to emerge. The stones were left in situ and Locus 5 was scraped down to the olive clay in the northeast corner. During scraping a fineware tondo fragment was recovered and recorded as special find 80. A possible cut bone was recovered and recorded as special find 81.

S.F. 80 181.88E/64.44S 26.51m AE Locus 5 Fineware tondo fragment

S.F. 81 181.48E/64.32S 26.50m AE Locus 5 Possible cut bone

Two fenestrated vessel fragments of different thicknesses were recovered also and recorded as special finds 82 and 83.

S.F. 82 181.11E/64.17S 26.56m AE Locus 5 Fenestrated vessel fragment

S.F. 83 181.58E/64.15S 26.51m AE Locus 5 Fenestrated vessel fragment

PM: Locus 5 continued to be scraped down from east to west revealing the olive clay layer with frequent stone inclusions. Locus 5 continued to have dark gray sunbaked soil with very frequent pottery and bone inclusions. A molded impasto rim was recovered and recorded as special find 84.

S.F. 84 179.97E/64.44S 26.63m AE Locus 5 Molded impasto rim

Locus 5 end of day elevations:

NW: 26.51m AE NE: 26.44m AE SE: 26.54m AE SW: 26.58m AE

Daily Totals:

Locus 4:

101 Tile: 3 bowls 102 Pottery: 14 103 Bone: 2 104 Plaster: 4 bowls 105 VTC: 0 106 Vitrified plaster: 0 107 Impressed plaster: 32 108 Impressed VTC: 0

Locus 5:

109 Tile: 0.2 bowl 110 Pottery: 162 111 Bone: 266 112 Plaster: 0.125 bowl 113 VTC: 10 114 Vitrified plaster: 0.33 bowl 115 Impressed plaster: 2 116 Impressed VTC: 6